Nauru court sets hearing dates for RPC cases

Resident Magistrate
Ropate Cabealawa today (18 March) has set hearing dates for various
asylum seekers who were charged over last years' riot in July at
the Nauru Regional Processing Centre
(RPC).

In court the
defendants were individually asked to enter a plea to charges of
riot and unlawful assembly.

All 39 defendants who
were present in court pleaded not guilty to the two charges of riot
and unlawful assembly on the 19thof July
2013.

Three of the
defendants who also faced additional charges of 'common assault'
pleaded not guilty to the
offence.

Trial dates have been
set this year for the charges of riot and unlawful assembly. They
will be heard in April, May, July and August. The cases of common
assault will be heard with the other
charges.

The defendants who are
facing charges of riot and unlawful assembly are represented by
defenders Vinci Clodumar and Mr John
Rabuku.

The Resident
Magistrate highlighted to the defendants that he understood the
frustrations they faced caused by the delay of the court to process
their cases. However, the magistrate assures defendants must allow
process to take due course and the defendants can present their
cases in full at the dates set.